Wayne Wilkins

Wayne Wilkins
Background information
Birth name	Wayne Andrew Wilkins
Born	Croydon, United Kingdom
Origin	London, United Kingdom
Genres	Hip hop, Rap, R&B, Pop, Dance
Occupations	Record producer, songwriter, record engineer, Mixing Engineer, pianist
Instruments	Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Drum Machine, Sampler
Years active	2000-present
Associated acts	Tiny Dancer, Troy Noka, Josh Sugar, Contra
Website	www.waynewilkins.com

Wayne Wilkins is a classically trained pianist, Record producer, songwriter, record engineer, and record mixer born in the southeast London neighborhood of Croydon. Wilkins’ productions for Natasha Bedingfield (No. 1 UK Single“These Words,” No. 3 UK Single “Single” and “Love Like This”),^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]} Beyoncé (“Sweet Dreams” No. 10 Billboard Hot 100),^[9] Cheryl Cole (“Fight For This Love” No. 1 Billboard UK Songs and “Promise This” No. 1 UK Digital Songs),^[4][10][11] and Jordin Sparks (“Battlefield” No. 10 Billboard Hot 100)^[12] are quickly making him one of the industry’s most sought after songwriter/producers.

Wilkins also heads his own record label, Croydon Boy,^[13] production company, Wayne Wilkins Music Group and music publishing companies, Ego Frenzy and Blow The Speakers.^[14] Wilkins is managed by Made Communication, Miami, FL.^[15]

Early life

Wilkins became exposed to music very early in life and was taking piano lessons by age 4.^[16] Wilkins soon earned a scholarship to a music conservatory as a child.^[16] Growing up Wilkins also played organ at cathedrals and other venues around London.^[16]

Wilkins went on to Royal College of Music in London.^[16] Wilkins had other intellectual interests outside of music and also graduated with a physics degree from Imperial College.^[16]

While in college one of Wilkins early jobs was teaching piano lessons.^[16] He also interned at Townhouse Studios and Olympic Studios where he received further training in engineering, mixing, and producing.^[17]

Music career

While Wilkins was interning at Olympic Studios he got the opportunity to work for famous engineer Mark “Spike” Stent.^[17] Stent’s resume includes working with such artists as Madonna, Beyoncé, Björk, Lily Allen, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Oasis, U2, Usher, and Lady Gaga.^[18] Working for Stent provided Wilkins the opportunity to program for the engineer and work on high budgeted recordings.^[17] During his tenure with Stent Wilkins was able to work with producers and artists such as Timbaland, Oasis, Rodney Jerkins, Madonna and U2.^[17] Wilkins was able to work on the No Doubt “Rock Steady” album which Wilkins says later on afforded him higher profile opportunities for him to work on in the industry.^[17]

In 2000 Wilkins started working independently.^[17] The first band Wilkins produced after going independent was the multiplatinum, Grammy nominated group The Corrs.^[17][19] Since The Corrs Wilkins has gone on to produce and write for many more prominent artists.

In May 2004 multiplatinum Grammy nominated singer Natasha Bedingfield released “Single”, a song co-written and co-produced by Wilkins.^[4][5][6] The song went on to reach No. 3 on the UK Singles Top 75 chart.^[7]

Natasha Bedingfield followed “Single” with “These Words” released in August 2004.^[1] Co-produced and co-written by Wilkins, the song climbed to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and was a top 20 hit in the US reaching No. 17 on Billboard’s Hot 100.^[2][3]

Wilkins co-wrote and co-produced another hit for Natasha Bedingfield, "Love Like This", which also featured Sean Kingston.^[20] The song released in September 2007 went platinum, to the top of Billboards Dance/Club Play Songs, and to No. 11 on Billboards Hot 100.^[8]

Grammy nominated singer Keri Hilson released her debut single “Energy” off of her gold album “In a Perfect World...” in May 2008.^[21][22] Wilkins cowrote and coproduced the single with fellow prominent members of production team The Runaways, Sam Watters, Rico Love, and Louis Biancaniello.^[23]

In early 2008, Wilkins co-wrote We Break the Dawn alongside Solange Knowles and Andrew Frampton for R&B singer Michelle Williams third album "Unexpected." He was also involved in creating the remix for the same song.

In June 2008 Shontelle’s “T-shirt” was released and co-written by Wilkins.^[24] The single was a dance hit in the United Kingdom and the United States. Reaching No. 1 on UK’s Urban Chart and No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club songs.^[25][26]

Beyoncé released her double platinum and 5x Grammy winning album “I Am... Sasha Fierce” in November 2008 which included the Wilkins’ Production and co-written single “Sweet Dreams”.^[27][28][29] The song went on to reach platinum status and landed at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[9][30]

In May 2009 former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks released the single “Battlefield”.^[31] Wilkins cowrote and coproduced the song that reached the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100.^[31] With this song Wilkins assisted the platinum singer in achieving her third top 10 Billboard Hot 100 single.^[32][33]

British artist Cheryl Cole released the single “Fight For This Love” in October 2009 taken from her multiplatinum album “3 Words”.^[4][34] Wilkins co-wrote and co-produced the single which went platinum in the UK and topped Billboard’s UK Songs Chart and the BBC’s UK Singles Chart.^[4][10][11]

Awards and Nominations

-2005 BMI London Award for “These Words”^[35]

-2006 BMI London Award for “Single”^[35]

-2007 BMI London Award for “Love Like This”^[35]

-2008 BMI Pop Award for “Love Like This”^[35]

-2008 BMI London Award for “T-Shirt”^[35]

-2009 Grammy nomination Album of the Year – Beyoncé – I Am… Sasha Fierce^[36]

-2009 BMI Pop Award for “Battlefield”^[35]

-2010 BMI London Award for “Battlefield”^[35]

-2010 BMI London Award for “Sweet Dreams”^[35]

Singles

Discography

Musical Influences/Songwriting/Mixing and Engineering/Gear

Musical Influences

Wilkins has cited artists such as Michael Jackson, David Foster, Whitney Houston, Chicago, John Williams, and Oscar Peterson as having a major influence on his style and tastes.^[17]

Songwriting

With his writing techniques, Wilkins prefers to start with chord progressions as opposed to lyrics.^[16] He has said he attempts to be a “vessel” in which music just flows out of him naturally.^[16] He prefers writing and producing together to see the song all the way through both processes to make sure it’s a hit.^[37] When writing Wilkins chooses not to use many sounds but only what is completely necessary.^[37] He says he tends to write simple lyrics that people can grasp with a running theme throughout the song.^[37] He likes to write simple chords to pop songs and focuses on the melody.^[37] When he can Wilkins prefers co-writing.^[38] Generally Wilkins focuses on the music and the melody and collaborates with lyricists.^[17]

Mixing and Engineering

Early in his career Wilkins worked under mixing engineer Mark “Spike” Stent of EMI.^[37] Wilkins knows how to record and also professionally mix recordings.^[16] Wilkins prefers to record an artist where they are most comfortable so he travels to where the artist is with portable gear.^[38]

Gear

Wilkins’ gear generally consists of an Apple Logic, a MacBook Pro and an Apogee Symphony Mobile System.^[16] Wilkins has stated his gear allows him to record anywhere in the world.^[38]

Ventures

Croydon Boy/Ego Frenzy/Wayne Wilkins Music Group/Blow The Speakers

Wilkins started his own record label, Croydon Boy, in 2013, and signed Tiny Dancer as a new artist.^[39]

Wilkins runs his own production company Wayne Wilkins Music Group, and publishing companies, Ego Frenzy and Blow The Speakers.^[14] Producers and songwriters T-Wiz, Josh Sugar, and Glass are signed to Ego Frenzy.^[40][41] Wilkins is currently interested in developing new artists.^[38] Wilkins has said that he scouts new talent on youtube and myspace.^[38]

External links

• Wayne Wilkins' Facebook Page
• Wayne Wilkins' Twitter Page

References